Lugnuts beat rain, Captains, 5-4

LANSING, Mich. - With time running out due to an intensifying rain, the Lansing Lugnuts (25-18) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, rallying to a 5-4 victory over the Lake County Captains (16-28) on a rain-shortened Wednesday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

It was the Lugnuts' sixth win in their last seven games and their third straight win to open an eight-game homestand.

The game opened in a mist that turned into a drizzle in the middle innings and into a steady downpour by the seventh.

Lansing starter Justin Maese (Win, 5-2) set a new career high with 12 strikeouts in seven innings, but a Conner Capel go-ahead two-out, two-run homer in the sixth inning appeared to deal the 20-year-old a hard-luck loss.

Trailing 4-3 entering the seventh, Bo Bichette knocked a double to right-center and took third on a wild pitch while Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. was drawing a walk from Tanner Tully(Loss, 2-3). Ryan Hissey was hit by another inaccurate Tully pitch, drawing a visit from the grounds crew for mound maintenance. A sacrifice fly from Bradley Jones brought in Bichette, tying the score at 4-4. Edward Olivares followed with a bouncer that eluded first baseman Emmanuel Tapia, bringing in Guerrero with what proved to be the game-winning run.

Lansing had previously rallied back from a 2-0 deficit in the fifth inning, thanks to a Bichette RBI double and a Guerrero two-run double.

Bichette finished the game 3-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch, two runs scored, two doubles and an RBI, raising his league-leading batting average to .371. Jones was 2-for-2 with a single and a double in addition to his sacrifice fly.

Maese earned his league-leading third complete game of the year. All three have been of different length: six innings, nine innings and now seven innings.

The Lugnuts go for the four-game sweep of Lake County on a Labatt Thirsty Thursday featuring $2 beers/sodas and half-off craft brews. Right-hander Denis Diaz (0-1, 6.10) starts against Captains right-hander Micah Miniard (1-4, 5.40). Tickets may be purchased at the Cooley Law School Stadium box office, by calling (517) 485-4500 or via lansinglugnuts.com.
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